It’s human nature to take even the most remarkable gifts for granted over time. At Skillsoft, we’re in the business of learning. So, it’s not all that surprising that we may assume learning and education in general are available to all. But, sadly, they’re not.

Historically speaking, education has only been widely available for a couple of centuries. That may sound like a long time, but when you compare it to the tens of thousands of years of human civilization, it’s a very recent phenomenon.

It’s also not a luxury afforded to every human right now. According to OurWorldinData.org and UNESCO, it’s estimated that 638 million people aged 15+ have no education. 13.7% of the world’s population aged 15+ is illiterate. And nearly 60 million school-aged children are not in school.

Learning is a gift. Education is a privilege.

One of the truly remarkable benefits of working for Skillsoft is that our Team Members have access to an absolute wealth of learning. Many of my colleagues in Marketing are on their own learning journeys both within Skillsoft Percipio, our AI-driven learning platform, and outside of Skillsoft. They’re actively pursuing knowledge and skills, both role-based and power.

Not to brag (okay, I admit it, I’m bragging a little) here’s just a sample of what they’ve accomplished …

Pragmatic. The word means to deal with things in a sensibly or realistic way. Pragmatic is also a well-established framework for product marketing and management that focuses on the buyer’s needs and provides the skills to both understand the market and to create programs that deliver results. Ten of my team members have either completed Pragmatic or are on a journey towards certification.

Agile Marketing. Whether through AgileSherpas, which specializes in Agile for marketing, or on the Percipio channel dedicated to Scrum, many of my team have availed themselves of this curriculum. Agile has helped to make us more efficient and effective at what we do.

Percipio. My team has earned course completion badges in the thousands with several members in the high double digits. They’re taking full advantage of the Skillsoft platform and some of the incredible courses we offer, including seven of our proprietary marketing-focused Aspire Journeys.

Lifelong Learning. There are really no limits when it comes to learning – and we don’t just learn in the classroom – virtual or otherwise. It’s why I love to hear about what my team is learning outside of work. Some have taken or are planning to take online Masterclasses, including one on storytelling. Others have purchased books on everything from travel in Ireland to professional growth. They’ve completed online sewing courses, learned to cook, and hit the links. And many of have opted to step away from the desk to be more hands-on. As a leader, I couldn’t be more proud of their desire to learn and to grow.

And, speaking of learning, I’m about to embark on a new learning journey myself. I’ve been offered a place in the Marketing Academy Fellowship program. We start with a virtual intensive later this week, followed by two in-person residentials in January and April. You can learn more about the Fellowship here. I’m excited to learn from and with my esteemed colleagues in the program, but I’m also looking forward to furthering my own development and … you guessed it … learning.

Because — with the right mindset — evey day is another opportunity to learn.